HP Teams With Google To Launch Business Chromebooks

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As for HP SMB IT in a Box, Hub Technical Services' Shiff said the innovative offering is a game changer. "We are working on moving that forward as fast as we can," he said. "That's going to make small businesses more nimble and quicker to move as it pertains to IT."

Although the Google-based business is still less than 5 percent of total sales for 21-year-old Hub Technical Services, it is growing fast, said Shiff.

Under the Google education sales program, schools receive Google Apps for Education, which includes Web-based email, calendar and documents for collaborative study, for free and then purchase the Google Apps Vault archiving solution, said Shiff.

The Google Apps for Education offering has opened the door to a new wave of Web-hosted applications including Android- and iOS-based offerings, said Shiff.

Ira Grossman, CTO of end-user and mobile computing for MCPc, a nationwide technology integrator specializing in mobile solutions with its Anyplace Workspace, applauded the HP Chromebook as a breakthrough offering with the first to provide 4G speeds for the Chromebook.

"This brings to the Chromebook line a device that is compelling not only just for schools but to the enterprise looking to become more mobile," said Grossman. "My expectation is this device has the quality that we have come to expect from HP engineering."

MCPc is also moving forward with HP SMB IT in a Box, which is being "well received" in the SMB marketplace, said Grossman.

"The Windows 7 migration is a compelling event that is causing customers to evaluate both their hardware and software landscapes, which is opening the door to Google Docs," he said. "It is causing customers to explore alternatives to the traditional Wintel environment."

HP also announced an ARM processor-based HP Chromebook priced starting at $279.99 with an 11.6-inch diagonal screen and battery life of up to six hours.

HP said the ARM processor provides near instant startup with access to apps and documents. The ultra-thin ARM-based HP Chromebook is ideal for "students, teachers and on the go professionals or business users," according to HP.

HP said the wide 176-degree viewing angle display and built-in Web cam make it easier to collaborate with classmates or colleagues.

HP said the new Chromebooks come with optional 4G LTE connectivity, 100 GB of Google Drive storage free for two years, 12 free sessions of GoGo Inflight Internet and a 60-day free trial with Google Play Music All Access.

While a large group of EMC's investors continue to hope that EMC will sell parts of itself to create more clear valuation for them, EMC is likely heading in the opposite direction by considering more acquisitions, according to a top analyst.